ORLANDO JULIUS with The Heliocentrics

ORLANDO JULIUS with The Heliocentrics
jaiyede AFRO
Strut are proud to announce the first ever internationally released new studio album by one
of the all-time legends of Nigerian music, Orlando Julius, in a mouth-watering new collaboration with London super-group The Heliocentrics.
At his club residency in Ibadan, Orlando Julius was one of the very first to begin fusing US
R&B with traditional highlife during the mid-‘60s with his Modern Aces band. His ‘Super Afro
Soul’ album from ’66 set the blueprint for a whole generation of Afrobeat and Afro funk
stars and, in an illustrious career, Julius met and played with Louis Armstrong, The Crusaders,
Hugh Masekela and Lamont Dozier among others, famously co-composing the classic ‘Going
Back To My Roots’ in 1979 whilst based in the USA.
For ‘Jaiyede Afro’, Julius takes us back to his own roots, revisiting several compositions from
his early years which have never previously been recorded. The title track recalls his
experiences as a boy: “my mother would go to group meetings with other women. They
would sing together and play drums, I would play along with them and we would sing this
song together.” Infectious chant ‘Omo Oba Blues’ is a traditional song sung at Julius’ school
which he re-arranged in 1965 for his Modern Aces band. The epic Afrobeat jam ‘Be Counted’
stems from his years in the USA: “this was written around 1976 while I was living on the West
coast. I did start recording it for the ‘Sisi Sade’ album around 1985 but it was never finished.”
Other tracks include ‘Buje Buje’ and ‘Aseni’, both re-worked arrangements from his rare
‘Orlando Julius and The Afro Sounders’ album from 1973.
Recorded at the Heliocentrics’ fully analogue HQ in North London, the band follow their
memorable collaborations with Mulatu Astatke and Lloyd Miller by taking Orlando’s sound
into new, progressive directions, retaining the raw grit of his early work and adding psychedelic touches and adventurous new arrangements. They also contribute live favourite, the
James Brown cover ‘In The Middle’ and a series of memorable shorter interludes.
KEY POINTS
- First ever internationally released new studio album by Nigerian legend
- Several compositions from Orlando’s career which have never previously been recorded
- Another essential collaboration involving the Heliocentrics following their acclaimed
recordings with Mulatu Astatke and Lloyd Miller
- Full Orlando Julius with The Heliocentrics tour schedule during Autumn 2014 and
throughout 2015
- Strong addition to Strut’s world music studio catalogue alongside titles by Ebo Taylor,
Mulatu Astatke, Fangnawa Experience and Jimi Tenor / Tony Allen.
For Fans Of Afrobeat, Fela Kuti, Afro funk, highlife, Hugh Masekela, Nigeria 70
series, Seun Kuti, I.K. Dairo, Ebo Taylor, E.T. Mensah, Segun Bucknor, Ginger Baker
Web Links
http://www.strut-records.com
For more info contact:
Adam Calman - [email protected] (P) 718-722-9935 X 12
STREAMING PLAYERS
Full: http://bit.ly/1o0Bbzw
Previews: http://bit.ly/1sCydGO
CD TRACKLISTING
1. BUJE BUJE
2. LOVE THY NEIGHBOUR
3. ASENI
4. SANGODELE
5. BE COUNTED
6. OMO OBA BLUES
7. JAIYEDE AFRO
8. IN THE MIDDLE
9. ALAFIA
VINYL TRACK SPLIT
A1. BUJE BUJE
A2. LOVE THY NEIGHBOUR
B1. ASENI
B2. SANGODELE
C1. JAIYEDE AFRO
C2. OMO OBA BLUES
C3. IN THE MIDDLE
D1. BE COUNTED
D2. ALAFIA
RELEASE DATE: SEPTEMBER 8th, 2014
ARTIST: ORLANDO JULIUS with THE HELIOCENTRICS
TITLE: JAIYEDE AFRO
LABEL: STRUT
CAT. NO.: STRUT112CD / STRUT112LP
CONFIGURATION: 1CD / 2LP
PACKAGING: JEWEL CASE 1CD / GATEFOLD 2LP + 1CD INSERT
UPC: 730003311222 / 730003311215
PRICE: CD: STANDARD / LP: 11,50eu payback
GENRE: WORLD / AFRICAN